This invention relates to a flat knitting machine comprising a carriage movable over the needle beds and presser foot wires with free trailing ends mounted in holders so as to extend in the direction of travel of the carriage in front of the withdrawal positions of the needles.
If thread combinations are to be produced on flat knitting machines, where the take-up device, for example in the form of take-up rollers, exerts insufficient influence, then presser foot wires are used which hold the stitches down as the needles are being withdrawn. The withdrawal of the needles takes place during knitting i.e. during the formation of stitches or loops, and upon transfer of the stitches.
In known flat knitting machines which have a pressure foot device the holders for the presser foot wires are mounted on the carriage and are so arranged that they are always located in the direction of travel of the carriage in front of the withdrawal position of the needles. The presser foot wire lies between the needle bed combs and below the needles which cross upon withdrawal. The trailing wire ends must in each case be free. This means therefore that each presser foot wire can only be set into place for operation in one direction of travel of the carriage. In known flat knitting machines, pivotable holders arranged on the carriage have therefore been used for example, which each have a presser foot wire extending to the left and to the right and which, depending upon the direction of travel of the carriage, are pivoted to the left or to the right into the position beneath the crossing needles. In another known pressure foot device, for each direction of travel of the carriage, there is provided one presser foot wire which by means of its pivotable mounting on the carriage can be pivoted automatically into or out of a functional position.
In another known presser foot device a presser foot wire overhangs its holder which is fastened to the carriage and at the positions of reversal of movement of the carriage is displaced across by the holder in such a manner that it overhangs on the appropriate side and such that it is brought into the presser foot position with a free trailing wire end. All the known presser foot devices are secured to the carriage so that they must always be in operation.